Method of burning liquid and other fuels.



(I. E. LUCKE.

. METHOD OF BURNING LIQUID AND OTHER FUELS.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT.2I, 1912.

31 l@; & Patented July 13, 1915,

onetime is. nu'cnn, or use! seen, it. essrsnon so ens em) on conreussicn HETHQD 0F B'UENENG LIQUXD AND UT HIEB gaiiiavae,

specification of Letters Ztstent.

Eatented ma as,

70 all whom it may concern Be it lmown that 1, CHARLES E. LUCKY}, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and a useful Improvements in 'Methods of Burning Liquid and other Fuels, full described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying. drawings, forming apart of the same.

invention relates to the combustion of liquid and other fuels and' involves the mixing of the fuel in a finely divided state with a suitable combustion supporting gas and then burning the iniit nire thus obtained. The object of the invention is to provide an improved method of producing and burning explosive gaseous mixtures in such a way as to avoid all. possibility of backfiash' or communication of the combustion. back to the source of supply, and to give a large range of control and adaptability; and the invention aims especially to provide an improved method of burning oils and other liquid fuels, but in its broader aspect the inyention is applicable to the burning of gaseous or other non-liquid fuels in a finely divided state suitable tobe mixed With a combustion supporting gas to form a combustible mixture having its fuel and coinbustion supporting constituents in proportions to form an explosive gaseous mixture, that is, one having the property of selfpropagation of inflammation.

In the preferred manner of burning liquid fuel in accordance with the "present invention, the liquid fuel and a, combustion su'pporting gas age caused to flow against the face of a hotporous and permeable combustionsupporting bed, whereby the fuel is vaporized. by the heat adjacent to the face of the bed and the vaporized fuel then mixes adjacent to the face of the bed with the combustion supporting gas to form an EXPl'Dj sive mixture. lhe proportionate parts of fuel and coi'nbustible gas flowing against the face of the combustion bed should be such that the'vaporized fuel and combustion supporting gas will form 311,611- plosive mixture, and for best results the velocity with which the combustion supporting flows toward the "face of the bed should be such that the mixture Wiii n1ove,\vi'th a velocity greater than the rate of propagation of inflannnatien through sages which are the mixture, and will spread out over the face of thebed with decreasing velocity explained my application No. 721,557, filed September 21, 5.912. Then, it the velocity of the mixtureis sufficiently great it may enter and advance a greater or less dis tance through thepores or passages of the bed before its velocity is reducedto the rate of propagation of infiannnation, coinbustion taking place at the surface or zone Where e uality between the rate of propagationvo inflammation and the flow velocity of the gas is attained. Preferably, however, in practising thezpresent invention the velocity of the impinging jet of? combustion supporting gas yviil be such that the velocity of thelniinture Will be reduced to the rate of propagation of inflammation at the impact "face of the combustion bed so that the co n bustion will take place at the face of the bed, as described in my said application No. 721,557 and in rny application No, 721,558, filed September 21, 1912, thereby raising the face of the bed to a very high temperature so that it becomes highly incandescent and radiates both heat and light to ahigh de' gree,-as explained in my said applications iVhether the combustion is located at or be yond the impact face of the bed, the prod ucts of combustion may be permitted to escape from the combustion zone through the pores or passages of the bed.

vVlien the combustion 'is to be located Within the bed beyond the impact face, the

bed should be of such a' character, as explained in my said application No. 721,557,

' that asthe explosive mixture advances from the impact face through the pores or passagesof the bed it will be caused to spread out and advance in increasingfvoluine and with decreasing velocity, the bed being for this purpose formed with expanding orintercomtnunicatin passages, or with pas hoth expanding and iutercommunicating. If, however, the combustion is to be localized; at the impact face of the bed, the porous and permeable bed need only be of a character to provide for the es cape therethrough of the products of cornbustion, and need not be ofanyconsideu able thickness, a comparatively thin perforate orporous diaphragm or plate being suliicient. For a lasting or permanent bed, a suitable refractory material, that is, one which will Withstand the degree of heat to which it is subjected, must be used! The surface of the bed should best b as such a character or have its surface particles or parts so shaped, as to promote proportionate passage of the mixture between the parts or particles and to prevent to the greatest degree the retention of a dead layer of gas on the side toward whicht he mixture is ad vancing. The degree of porosity and per meability should be such as to permit such free escape of the products of combustion that with a given supply of mixture the mixture will burn substantially in contact with all thephysical surface over which the advancing stream spreads. A bed of pieces of refractory material of suitable size either loose or bonded meets the requirements well. Such a bed may be in the form of a thin plate or diaphragm or may be of any de sired. thickness. It is desirable, also, that the impact face of the bed be shaped according to the character and shape and arrangement o the jets or streams, caused to impinge thereon so as to secure the desired spreading of the mixture with reduction of its flow velocity to the rate of propagation of inflaimnation. Also, the bed maybe of various shapes according to the nn-pose to which the invention is to be applied, and a single. bed or a number of beds suitably grouped or arranged may be employed, the character and arrangement of the impinging jets or streams of fuel and combustion supporting gas corresponding to the arrangement and shape of the bed or beds.

The liquid fuel and combustion support ing gas may be supplied from a single nozzle or orifice, or the fuel and combustion supporting gas may be caused to flow from different nozzles or orifices in separate streams toward the face of the combustion bed, and for best results the separate streams should meet a short distance in advance of the face of the bed.

\Vhcn a gaseous fuel or other nonliquid fuel in a linely divided state is to be burned, the fuel and combustion suppm'ting gas will a cording to the present invention be caused to flow from separate nozzles. and the method will be the same as with a liquid fuel with the omission of the step of vaporizing the fuel. the fuel in all cases being mixed with a stream of unconfined combustion supporting gas and this mixing of the fuel and combustion supporting gas taking place preferably adjacent to and a short;

I pointed out.

tion supporting gas, either oxygen talone or air or other oxygen containing gas, with cinnlmstible matter in a gaseous or finely di tcnmcraturc. the oxygen should-be ll"(ll lutcd and the mixture should containoxygcn and combustible matter in chemical combining propoltions at the time. of combo tion. but there may l i an excess of either combustible matter or th'c combustion supporting gas within the limits which deter mine the property of self propagation. The mixture may be varied in this respect according to the desired character of the products of combustion, that is, whether it is desired that the products shall be neutral. oxidizing or reducing. Also, the mixture may contain neutral'gas, such as carbon di oxid, nitrogen or water vapor, so long as the amount of such neutral gas is not sullicicnt to make the mixture nonexplosivm The accompanying drawings illustrate simple forms of apparatus adapted for carrying out my improved method.

In said drawings: Figure 1 shows a simple form of. apparatus for burning oil or other liquid fuel in accordance with the method forming part of the present invcntion. Fig. .2, shows a modified arrangement of the nozzles. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l of a modified form of apparatus.

Referring first to Fig. 1, 10 represents a porous and permeable combustion bed. A jet of the liquid fuel is directed against an exposed face of the bed from a nozzle 11 to which the liquid may be supplied from any suitable source. As shown, the liquid is sup plied from an elevated tank F through a pipe 12 provided with a valve 1;; for controlling the amount of fuel discharged from the nozzle 11. A second nozzle 15 serves to direct a. stream or jet of air or other combustion supporting gas against the impact face of the bed, the air'being supplied from a tank A or other suitable source through a pipe 16 controlled by a valve 17. The nozzles l1 and 13 are best arranged as shown so as to cause the streams of fuel and combustion supporting gas to meet adjacent to and.

a short distance. away from the impact face of the bed. Whenthe apparatus is in "use, assuming the combustion supporting bed to lie sulliciently heated, the liquid fuel, from the nozzle 11 when it strikes or comes close to the impact face of the bed will be vaporized, and the fuel. vapor thus produced will mix adjacent to the face of the bed with the combustion supporting gas supplied fromthe nozzle 15.

The supply of fuel and combustion sup porting gas should be regulated by the valves 13 and 17 so that they will be supmisses plied'in proportions such that the vaporized fuelaud combustion supporting gas mixing H or near the impact face of the bed to spread out'over the face of the bed. It is usually desirable that the velocity of the impinging stream or jet of combustion supporting gas shall be such as to cause the mixture produced adjacent to the impact face of the bed to more outward over the surface of the bed with aninitial velocity greater than the rate of propagation of inflammation through the mixture. As the mixture spreads out its flow velocity will be rapidly reduced, and by progcrly controlling the velocity of the im ngg; jet of combustion supporting gas .tial velocity of the mixture may be adjusted so as to cause thc'fiame cap or surface of combustion to locate at. and close against the impact face of the bed. greater part of the products oi combustion will then pass away from the combustion zone or surface through the pores or pascaees or the bed and escape from a part of e of the bed other than the inipect face. By sulliciently increasing the velocity of the impinging" jet of combustion gas and thereby the velocity with the mixture moves from the place Where it is produced, the flame cap or surface of combustion may, as before explained.

be driven into the combustion bed and caused cap localized at the impact face of the bed may coincide more or less accurately with the impact face of the bed throughout the greatest possible or a considerable extent thereof, impact face should be shaped according to the character of the jet. With a; single solid jet of combustion supporting as meeting. one or more jets of the fuel adacent to the impact face, and with the mixogaiust the face ofthb bed, an impact face of more or less circular concave shape as shown in cross section by Fig. 1 answers the 'ggtlurpose Well. This figure shows the combustion bedms formed of a mass of loose broken or other granular refractory material answer. With such a bed the products of combustion entering the bed may escape from the parts of the upperiic'zice surrounclmg orbeyond the impact surface as indicated by thearrows, or might escape through of? our openings in the container. Le. bell s me of granular refractory material, either loose or bonded, meets the requirements for successfully carrying out the invention and is the best form of bed I know of at the present time; but, as already pointed out, it is not necessary when the combustion is to be localized at the impact face of the bed that the bed should be of such a character as to cause the expansion or lateral spreading of gases advancing through it.

In starting, the combustion bed may be heated in any suitable manner to a degree suiiicient to vaporize the fuel from the nozzlell. This may be accomplished in various Ways, as by starting with a gaseous fuel in place of the liquid fuel, or by using a bed of burning coal or coke and maintaining this bed by the addition of fresh coal or coke or by adding loose pieces of refractory material to form a permanent bed as the coal or coko'burns away. If an easily vapomzed liquid fuel is used, the operation may be started by vaporizing the fuel at the start as it passes to or through the nozzle 11. This or a similar apparatus might, obviously, be used for burning a fuel gas or other suitable finely divided fuel by providing means for supplying 'such gas or other fuel to be discharged from the nozzle 11 to inix with the'streani of combustion supporting gas from the nozzle 15 adjacent to and prof erably a. short distance away from the face of the bed. if a gaseous fuel is used, however, the apparatus should be made so as to secure a good mixing of the streams of fuel gas and combustion supporting gas, as for example by providing a'plurality of :tuel

auniform capacity or cross area from theimpact face to the rehr face of the bed, the bed being thus adaptezd to serve to carry h away the products ofcon'ibustion but not to turc imping ng at substantially right angles cause a gradual decrease of velocity of gas flowing through them. This bed is adapted, therefore, only for combustion localized at the impact face of the bed. l l itha bed of this kind mounted as shown, the products of combustion would escape from the passages of the bed into the chamber 21 and pass therefrom through an outlet in the apparatus shown in this figure, also, the fuel through pipe 16 from a tanl r-A in which the pressure is maintained in any suitable manner. The pipe 12 from the fuel tank 1 instead of leadhit to a separate nozzle leads into the pipe 16, so that the oil or other liquid fuel entering the pipe 16 from the pipe 12 will be carried along by the air and discharged with the air from the nozzle 1.). The fuel liquid will be more or less broken up into a spray in leaving the nozzle with the air, but unless a special atoiniziiig or sprav nozzle is provided the liquid fuel may still require to be vaporized before it will be in a suliiciently divided state to mix with the air or other combustion supporting gas to form an explosive gaseous mixture, so

that in using an apparatus of this form for burning oil orother liquid fuel, and with the apparatus provided with a. nozzle for delivering a solid or substantially solid jet, the mixture of the combustion supporting gas with the finely divided fuel, thatjis, in this case, vaporized fuel, to form the explosive gaseous mixture will take place adjacent. to the llHPttChffiCQ of the bed in the same manner as with an apparatus such as shown 'in Fig. 1. 3

.Other ways of mixing vaporized liquid fuels or other finely divided fuel with the combustion supporting gas adjacent to a ballling 'surfacewill readily suggest themselves, and a combustion supporting bed or beds of other forms and construction from those shown may obviouslybe used in appalifscd for practising the method of the prescient to cause the resulting, mixture to move with a velocity greater than the rate. of propagation of inflammation through the mixture, reducing the low velocity of the mixture, and burning the mixture atthe zone or surface where the velocitvcquals the rate of propagation of inflammation.

The method of combustion which consists in causing a stream of combustion supporting gas to flow unconfined against a baffling surface, mixing fuel in a finely divided state with the rtunbustion supporting gas adjacent to the 'bail'ling surface in proportions to form an explosive" grasei'ius mixture, and burning the mixture.

3. The method of combustion which conface of the bed in proportions to form an explosive gaseous mixture, the velocity of the stream of combustion supporting gas being such that the explosive mixture will flow .with an initial velocity greater than the rate of propagatioi'iof inflammation through the mixture, burning the mixture where the velocity equals the rate of propagation of inflammation, and permitting the products of combustion to escape through the pores or passages of the bed.

4. The method of burning liquid fuel which consists in vaporizing the fuel and producing an explosive gaseous mixture by causing the fuel and combustion supporting gas to flow against a hot body in proportions such that the vaporized fuel and the combustion supporting gas will form an explosive mixture, the velocity of the coinbustion supporting gas being such'that; the explosiye mixture will flow with avelocity greater than the rate of propagation of iiiflamination through the mixture, reducing the velocity of the mixture to the rate of propagation of inflammation, and burning the mixture where the velocity equals the rate of propagation of inflammation.

The method of burning liquid fuel which consists in vaporizing the fuel and producing an explosive gaseous mixture by causing the fuel and conib ustion'supporting gas to flow aqainst the face of a hot porous and permeablie combustion bed in proportioi'is such that the vaporized fueliands the combustion supporting gas will form an ex plosive mixture, the velocity of the inipinging stream of combustion supporting gas being such that the mixture will move with an initial velocity greater than the rate of propagation of inflammation through the mixture and spread out over the face of the bed with decreasing velocity, burning the mixture, and permitting the products of combustion toiesape through the pores or passages of the bed.

6. The method of burning fuel which consists in rinsing the fuel and combustion supporting gaslo flow in separate unconfined converging streams toward the face of a po' ons and peri'neable combustion bed, whereby the fuel and combustion supporting gas will be caused to mix adjacent the impact face of thebed to form. an explosive gaseous mixture. the velocity of the impinging stream of combustion supporting gas being such that the resultingQexplosive mixture Will flow with an initial velocity greater tshan the rate of propamition of inflammation through the locity aquals the rate of propagation of inflammation. and permitting the prodilcts of combustion to escape through the pores or passages of the bed.

7. The ,nriehhod voi? burning liquid fuel which consists in causing the fueland c0mbustiou supporting as to flow in separate Streams toward the' aoeof a hot orous and pormeable combustion bed where y the fuel W111 be vaporized ncl the fuel-vapor will be oausod to mix with the combustion sup- "portmg gab to forman explosive gaseous mixture, burning the mixture at, the impact; face of the bed, and permitting the products of combustion to escape through the 15 pores or passages of the bed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in th presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES "E. LUCKE.

itnsses: I

FRANK C. Em, A. L. K NT. 

